The music and software industries have reached a "landmark consensus" in a divisive debate over copy protection, trade groups representing both sides said in a statement. Details of a policy road map, endorsed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and the Computer Systems Policy Project (CSSP), will be jointly released Tuesday, the groups said.
One notable trade group missing from the announcement was the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which represents the movie industry. The MPAA and the RIAA have worked side by side to sue companies and individuals alleged to be distributing copyrighted works illegally.
The formation of the alliance comes as legislators consider proposed rules to prevent digital content from finding its way onto free file-swapping services. Last March, Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., introduced a bill that would require embedding of copy-protection technology into PCs and consumer electronics devices.
When that legislation was announced, the RIAA praising efforts to rein in digital piracy, although the group at the time said it advocated a voluntary industry approach to digital copy protection. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission is considering a proposal requiring consumer electronics companies to embed encryption technology in their digital TV components.
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News source: ZDNet
